


Wonderstruck

by pennedbycat



Series: Somehow...they're still alive [1]
Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: F/M, RE3REmake, slightly AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23554441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennedbycat/pseuds/pennedbycat
Summary: Jill had never dealt with an out of body experience, but she was undoubtedly sure that she watched Carlos sit by her bedside for hours after she fell unconsious. She hadn't been quite too keen on cozying up to the thought of their feelings being mutual for one another, for even a girl like Jill... she still feared rejection. But after everything he did for her... maybe it was time to start opening up her eyes? Set during and after the events of the RE3make.
Relationships: Carlos Oliveira/Jill Valentine
Series: Somehow...they're still alive [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702906
Comments: 9
Kudos: 147





	Wonderstruck

**October 1st,1998**

**Spencer Memorial Hospital**

**5:45 AM**

"You saved my life," Jill spoke, still slightly disoriented from her two-day slumber. She caught the incredulous look on Tyrell's face as he set the facts straight. 

"I sure as shit didn't," he admitted, sitting back in his chair. "That was all Carlos. He brought you here and treated you himself."

The brunette stood there for a moment, letting everything sink in. That sounded like Carlos, alright. He would give you the shirt off his back if it meant keeping you safe. Jill recognized that in him, because she had the same quality in herself. But... even she had to admit that it was dangerous to go through all of that trouble, just for someone you barely knew, _especially_ if they were already infected. She helped her comrades numerous times, but when it came down to it... if they were infected, they would just say to end it. Just like she would have told Carlos, if she had been awake to do so. Getting a vaccine was all fine and good. But what if it hadn't worked? What if it had been all for nothing? Surely, she had to have meant a great deal to him if he did all of that.

She tore herself out of her reverie, knowing that she was treading into dangerous territory if she let her mind wander that far. "Where is he?"

As soon as Tyrell told her what Carlos was up to, she immediately knew what she had to do. She was going in after him; there was no way in hell she'd let him go about this by himself. Not after laying his life on the line for her several times already. The S.T.A.R.S. officer quickly checked her ammo supplies, her lips thinning into a solid frown. She was running low, but she'd have to make due for now. Sending Tyrell a quick nod on her way out, she was off to try and find Carlos before he did something stupid just to save the city. Jill wouldn't put it past him. He had gone this far. 

Her mind began to wander as her feet led her--- hopefully in the right direction (these underground labs were as close to goddamn labyrinths as they come). When she was out of it, the brunette remembered bits and pieces. She wasn't awake. Not in the slightest. But she was aware of what was going on around her. Before all of this, she was never one to believe in out of body experiences (hell, if it hadn't been for the rabbit hole she fell down in during one of her sleepless nights after Arklay, she probably never would have heard of it before). But Jill clearly recalled watching from the corner of the room and seeing Carlos sit at her bedside for countless hours, just talking to her, telling her that everything was going to be alright. That _he_ was going to make it alright. 

_"Hell, girl, you've gotta make it through this," Carlos commented. By the tone of his voice, he was on the edge of passing out from exhaustion. "All the shit you've gone through these past few days, you can't let the virus take you out."_

_Jill watched on, seeing hesitation in his brown eyes before he reached over and put his hand over hers. Even from afar, she could feel the warmth of his touch. It had been a long time since she felt anything quite like this. Not even her on-again, off-again relationship with Chris made her feel like this._

_"I can't let anything happen to you. Not after coming this far. I'll make sure you get the fuck out of dodge. Even if that means that I never get to see you again," his voice got quiet for a moment, dare even the brunette admit that his tone was growing thicker. He never seemed to be someone to let his emotions get the better of him. But... guess he was just trying to put his best foot forward when it came to how_ she _saw_ him _._

He hadn't dropped her hand for some time after that, as far as she could remember. Jill's consciousness began to fade before he left... just in time to have that godawful dream. Of course, maybe she had dreamt all of it. Maybe it was her own subconscious coming into play. The brunette was well aware of the budding feelings she felt for the mercenary. It all started when he called her out for risking her life by leading the Nemesis away from the substation. He was kind. Handsome. _And_ could kick ass. So, the next question is... how would she react to seeing him again? How would he react to seeing her? Doing her best to ease her troubled mind, Jill decided to better focus on her surroundings. Her love life could come later, when they were out of harm's way. 

-0-

**October 1st,1998**

**Nest 2 Helipad**

**3:42 PM**

Carlos wouldn't admit it to just anyone, but he was kinda a mushy guy. He'd help little old ladies cross the street. He even had a dog at home (even though he rarely got to see him, with missions having taken up most of his spare time any more). You'd never really take a big, bad mercenary for a softie, would you? And what better way for him to r e a l l y show the softer side of Sears? Enter Jill Valentine. She had taken his life and turned it upside down. But in the best way possible. He hadn't expected to care as much as he did. Honestly, Carlos should have known better. He was awestruck by her the second he laid eyes on her. And it only grew exponentially from there. Mikhail saw it from a mile away, even going as far as teasing his subordinate when he was tending to his wounds on the train. 

She was different than any other girl he had met before. The mercenary couldn't think of the last time he had risked his own life for someone else's on numerous occasions. Her rash decisions kept him on his tip toes, never knowing what was up her sleeve next. If they made it out of here alive and were able to actually spend time together afterwards, he was liable to put her in her own little bubble. Nothing could touch her, and she wouldn't be able to get into too much trouble, herself. Would she fight him on it? Yeah, but he wouldn't have it any other way. 

Though Carlos loved Jill's independence, he wished that she would let him in a little more. He was well aware that she could take care of herself, but he just _worried_ about her, okay? Having to leave her to finish off the Nemesis by herself in order to catch up with Nicholai bothered him to no end. After meeting up with her for the first time since he left her sleeping form at Spencer Memorial, the mercenary had vowed then and there that he wasn't going to let Jill get out of his sight for very long. He just couldn't. Hell, he joked about not leaving her in a cold, cruel Carlosless world, but did he really want to live in a Jillless world? It scared him a little that the answer was a solid no. 

As the two situated themselves in the helicopter, Carlos couldn't help but keep stealing glances back at Jill, just to make sure she was really there. He had been worried there for a minute that he was going to lose her to the infection, but the vaccine came through. Maybe it'd be too soon to make her a t-shirt that said 'I survived the T-Virus, 1998'. Oh well, he entertained the thought for a moment, it bringing a smile to his face. 

Where were they going? Neither of them really knew. The only mission at this point was to get out of Raccoon City before the missile went off. The mercenary peered over his shoulder once more, looking back at his lady friend. 

"Jill, you okay back there?" He asked, genuinely concerned at how quiet she was being. 

The brunette didn't really know _what_ to say. She was alive, sure. But okay? Certainly not. Probably wouldn't be for some time now. Not after everything they went through over the past few nights. Still, though, Jill reminded herself that-- just like after the mansion incident, she wasn't alone. For months after the mishaps in the Arklay Mountains, the brunette had shut herself away. She didn't talk. She barely slept or ate anything. Had it not been for Barry talking her into getting counselling, she'd probably be in worse shape than she was now. Just as she was about to answer her partner, they heard the explosion begin. Blue eyes darted to see the missile as it struck down, demolishing the city she had called home for so many years.   
  
The pair rode in silence for a while, until the voice of someone coming in from the radio brought them both out of their own thoughts. Jill immediately heard the familiarity in his voice, and no sooner than she did, the man on the radio was calling for _her_. As it turned out, it was Barry. And he was looking for Jill, having been unable to get in contact with her while she was still in Raccoon. He so graciously booked a hotel for Jill, not yet realizing that she had a companion with her. 

"Just so you know... the couch is all yours," she told Carlos, wanting him to know that she wasn't going to leave him high and dry like that. 

"I knew you wouldn't want to be _too_ far from the Carlos," he joked, but tried to make it seem like he really took it seriously. 

"Yeah," Jill rolled her eyes, "okay. Whatever helps you sleep at night," she threw back his way, a small smirk lifting her lips.

-o-

**October 1st, 1998**

**Jill's Hotel Room**

**8:45 PM**

By the time, they made it to the hotel, she and Carlos had enough energy left within then to each take a shower and order a pizza for dinner-- or at least that was what they had planned. The two sat on her bed, the box of pizza between them as they watched some cheesy game show network. Jill had been the first to fall asleep, exhaustion catching up to her-- or that's what she told herself. Her stomach was full, she was finally clean, and she was thoroughly exhausted. The brunette didn't admit to herself that she probably wouldn't have fallen asleep at all, if it weren't for Carlos next to her.

After noticing a sleeping beauty, Carlos couldn't help but smile a bit. Very carefully, he moved their dishes and the pizza box to the floor. Partially because he didn't want to take the chance of disturbing Jill if she woke up, but also because he didn't want to get up.

"Sleep easy, Supercop," he muttered, reaching over to move her hair out of her eyes. Instead of watching her like a creeper as she slept (like he had thought about doing) the mercenary turned his attention back to the TV. It wasn't long before even he was losing the battle against the sandman, snores parting his lips as he drifted off to sleep.

Though, neither of them had slept for too incredibly long before Jill was startled awake. She shot up in bed, on the verge of a panic attack. Her legs were drawn up against her chest, looking around the dark room. She started to count down from ten, realizing that there was nothing there. Nothing but... 

Just as she was able to turn to look at Carlos, he wrapped her in his arms and settled her against his chest. Jill's breathing was still ragged, but it was slowly evening itself out. She used this opportunity to get closer, laying her head on the crook of his neck. It was comforting, to have someone holding her. The brunette never realized just how much she needed that until now. 

"Bad dream?" He asked her, resting his head atop hers. 

"No. I just--- I woke up and heard a noise. I thought--"

"That it was happening again," Carlos sighed, running his hands up her arms for comfort, albeit mindful of her scars.

"Yes," Jill replied, her voice barely above a whisper. It was the same reason why she could never sleep after the mansion incident. And when she did... she had those terrible nightmares of becoming infected. Man... if only her past self knew what had been in store for her just months later. She closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on Carlos' warmth and how he made her feel in that moment. Secure. Warm. _Loved_ even? Blue eyes fluttered back open, and they were met with his warm brown ones. Surely, he had to feel something towards her. She couldn't be reading all of this wrong, could she? "...Carlos?"

"Mmm?" He only made a sound, barely keeping his eyes open. At least until she said what was on her mind. 

"Do us both a favor and kiss me already," Jill told him. Maybe it-- and what else it could potentially lead to, would tire them both out. Either way, Jill wanted to forget everything she had endured, and she was sure that Carlos did too. 

He was shocked, and a little leery. What if this was just the adrenaline talking? What if she kicked him out of bed in the morning, and never wanted to speak to him again? Carlos couldn't bare the thought. Cupping her face in his hands, he gazed into her eyes, asking "are you _sure_? I don't want to get my ass beat in the morning," he murmured. The mercenary resisted the urge to laugh at Jill's 'you've gotta be kidding me' look on her face. He didn't say anything else, shrugging before closing the gap between them. It started off as a slow, tentative kiss. But the brunette quickly grew tired of the pace and took the initiative to deepen it, arms locking around Carlos' neck. She _did_ secretly hope that it would come down to this, but she hadn't held her breath. Her partner, on the other hand, despite what trauma he was going through, his brain was still whooping it up in celebration. He saved the girl, _and_ got to keep her. Jill would smack him if he admitted that aloud, but it was almost worth it. Almost. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a s u c k e r for fluff, and a sucker for this wholesome pairing. CAPCOM never gives us our ships, but loves dangling them in our faces. Ah well, let me know what you thought!


End file.
